If the title wasn’t already taken, a documentary about modern Townsville would surely be The Usual Suspects … and the local version would have just as many questionable characters. Jenny Hill has signaled four more years of the same, starting with the newly formed North Queensland COVID-19 Recovery Task Force.
Are the LNP backroom surgeons mustering the courage to excise the Freckle that has become an electoral melanoma? While the LNP duck looks to be gliding smoothly towards the October election, unseen beneath the calm surface, its feet are thrashing wildly.
Also, whose been leaning on the Bulletin to tell cheery lies this time? The strange case of an inexplicable about-face to manipulate a story..
Plus a couple of notable tweets during the week, John Cleese nails BBC bureaucracy over the Fawlty Towers ban, and our regular report on the Tangerine Terrorist’s week (what is The Magpie going to don without him after November?)
But first …
Jenny’s New Rorts For Old Mates
It’s always easy and often only a point scoring exercise to be wise after the event, but in recent years, we have been paying literally millions to people to be wise BEFORE the event, a fruitless endeavor and continue to be disappointed by people tagged as consultants but actually have been a rag-tag collection of main-chancers, white shoe spivs, political favour collectors, opportunistic gougers, celebrity gardeners and a small time populist politician.
Well, it hasn’t taken long for Jennifer Lorraine Hill to prove she is an A student in political opportunity, taking full advantage of the old adage ‘Never Waste A Crisis.’
The crisis in this case in the corona virus, and the opportunity is the laboriously titled North Queensland COVID-19 Recovery Task Force (henceforth NQRTF.) It also presents another opportunity: an ideal framework for rorts galore. Two astounding ones have already taken place. But first the background.
This looming populist gabfest , bringing together ‘community leaders ’ to ‘workshop’ ways for businesses in the region to recover from the pandemic, sounds sensible enough, but more than hints at a bureaucratic nightmare. Nebulous posturing is imminent. This from supporting documents.
Pure buzz word bullshit.
One reason is that this Townsville-based initiative is to mesh in other state organisations as well as NQ Regional Organisations of Councils (NQROC) which represents five surrounding councils, a perfect recipe for in-fighting over cake sharing, bureaucratic blunders … and outright corruption. As always in Mullet World, the devil is in the detail … and in secret if she can get away with it. Several minor and a couple of major questions immediately arise. (We will talk later in the blog about the Premier’s almost criminal behaviour in not allowing this region to start up again ahead of the south-east.)
Here is the membership of NQRTF.
Operating under this, (oh, please, Lord, no) there are more half a dozen sub-committees.
Several things to note here. First, the absence of the mayor from that roster, which indicates that she will have the choice of glory as instigator if things go well, but deny any direct involvement if, as is quite possible, this ends in a red tape tits up. She will generally get involved when the Task Force reports to the council once a month.
And here’s a very serious question: is this not an admission that TEL is a total waste of time and $750K a year? Because this is surely exactly the remit of such a body, many members of whom are on the above list.
But far more disquieting is the unconfirmed report that ex-TCC CEO Mike Chiodo has agreed to stick around to chair the whole hootenanny, and will be paid $200K a year, although it is understood he will have to travel from Cairns, where he is now reported to be living. Outsourcing at it’s very best.
But that is chicken feed and nowhere near as alarming if the other unconfirmed report is true concerning the head of the Taskforce (whatever that means) Dr Prins Ralston. His very presence in itself has the capacity to be a disrupting factor in Walker Street. Those with short memories will perhaps not remember the name, so here’s a refresher from June 2017.
Yup, the very same, this is the bloke who masterminded not only the scorched earth staff policy that ripped so callously through the Townsville City Council ranks, creating bogus savings that actually ended up costing more in contractors, but he is believed to have had a hand in recruiting head kicker Adele Young to do the job. But the jobs-for-the-boys ethos only starts there. This is the same Prins Ralston who His Radiance Tony Mooney tapped to do some of sort of operational audit of the Townsville University Hospital, for a few hundred thousand dollars of taxpayer dosh. And if we wanted to join another dot, Ralston, while running Mission Australia, had former Mooney media boss and sometimes Mullet whisperer the savvy Dolan Hayes on a lucrative executive contract. So few introductions will be needed at any of these proposed meetings.
But here is the kicker, which even The Bulletin might have put on the slippers and dressing gown to shuffle up to Walker Street for a cuppa and chat … Prins Ralston is reported to be on $500 per hour/$20,000 a week. On an open ended deal.
Question: if correct, who’s footing the bill?
Happy to be wrong and be corrected.
Overjoyed, in fact.
The Kid Goes Walkabout … But Was It Really A Campaign Trip?
David ‘Kid’ Crisafulli briefly graced us with his presence during the week, during a road trip from the Gold Coast up to Cairns. The trip was ostensibly for The Kid in his role as Opposition spokesman on tourism to sympathise with tourism operators, so he could insert the pineapple over the Palaszczuk government recalcitrance to re-open the state borders. Given that is the single most important political and economic issue in Queensland at the moment, it is significant that it was Crisafulli carrying the ‘what bastards’ message, instead of the expectation that leader Deb The Freckle Frecklington would make the trip.
This tends to confirm all the Magpie’s received information from down south and locally that Frecklington’s personal popularity as an alternative premier is in the crapper (or perhaps for such a refeened lady, in the bidet).
And little wonder. The Freckle’s mimsy, wet lettuce leaf delivery continually turns electoral gold into small change. Watching her on TV this week, The ‘Pie was reminded of Denis Healey’s withering assessment of Geoffrey Howe ‘ Being attacked by Geoffrey Howe is like being savaged by a dead sheep.’
Not surprisingly, the LNP hierarchy have for some time decided a bloke would have a much greater chance against Palaszczuk, and besides, apart from the lip service blah blah, they see themselves as the ‘masculine’ party.
Crisafulli fits the bill perhaps better than two or three other wannabe colleagues … he is ‘neat and trim’ as a female friend said during the week, a good family man, and an energizer bunny in front of the cameras, with some pretty good ‘zingers’, born of being a TV journalist when he had a real job.
The ‘Pie reported the basics of this a couple weeks ago, but now the push is on from the media big guys.
The Courier, several respected on-line news outlets and even old colleague John Andersen in the Bully are laying in the boot. The media is clearly getting party room info of dissatisfaction from LNP parliamentarians. Question is, will the LNP hierarchy have the wit and guts to opt for an energizer bunny, or stick with a dead sheep?
WTF Bulletin?
It has long been established that any applicant for the Bulletin’s editorial chair must be willing to ‘assume the position’ and take it with barely a grunt or grimace from the advertising manager when formerly hallowed journalistic turf – like not just the front page but the first FOUR pages of some editions – is usurped in the name of dollars. But to those who follow these things, this weekend’s Astonisher really did astonish with this story.
It quoted JCU PhD student Blanche D’Anastasi.
‘… there are signs some corals have survived. Ms D’Anastasi had been snorkelling around Geoffrey Bay in recent weeks and had seen colour begin to return. “We’re starting to see the colour coming back to the sides,” she said.
“Whilst many colonies, some very old, died because they got fried like eggs in the marine heatwave earlier this year, the survivors are getting their symbiotic algae back and starting to turn from their bleach bone white near death state, back to hues of olive brown, greens, purple and pink.’
The story was accompanied by some less than convincing photographs.
Now good news is good news anytime, right, but how true is this cheery headline? Odds are not much, and it is reasonable to question not just the paper’s take on this, but why. At best, which is always pretty bad at this rag, it is selective reporting, distorting recent reports in its own pages on the issue. But the mystifying thing is why was this story done at all, so soon after the paper did two other yarns just a earlier this year back on exactly the same subject – Magnetic Island coral – and featuring the same two protagonists.
Dr Leon Zann is a marine biologist, whose several academic roles have included a UN Fisheries advisor in the Pacific islands and a scientist at the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. Back on February 25 this year, he and Ms D”Anastasi both were featured in far less cheery story.
At the same time, SBS was on to the same yarn, and came on even stronger with Dr Zann’s informed warnings.
In that story, we read the following:
SBS News visited Magnetic Island in December 2019 to report on the health of the Great Barrier Reef.
At the time, James Cook University PhD candidate Blanche d’Anastasi said she was concerned about the health of the reef in the island’s waters.
Today, she says she’s devastated.
“It’s really confronting because these corals, the fact that they’re bleaching it means they’ve been hotter than they’ve been before so they’re getting really stressed,” Ms d’Anastasi said.
“With the hot, still conditions and the marine heatwave the water has heated up to an uncomfortable bath water temperature and you just know that it’s too hot for the corals, so it’s not surprising that they’re bleaching but it’s heartbreaking.
Then in March, the Bulletin again ran the story.
And in that one, they rehashed Ms D”Aanastsi’s earlier comments, including “It’s uncomfortably hot. It feels like you’re in the bath,” she said. Ms D’Anastasi said the “ocean is on fire” and corals could not cope with the warmer than usual temperatures, which could threaten reefs.
“We are within days of the next major coral bleaching. As a coral reef scientist it is terrifying each time it happens,” she said.
Now as always The ‘Pie might be wrong about this, but stressed coral is not going to change – let alone the imm mediacy of ‘bounce back’ to the extent the reporter made out here, and perhaps coaxed more hopeful quotes from Ms D”Anastasi. Notably, there was just a rehash of Dr Zann’s previous comments, and no comment regarding colourful regrowth. Probably because he wasn’t re-interviewed for this weekend’s story, and his message was unlikely to be changed. The ‘Pie worked at GBMPA at the same time as Dr Zann, and he was not the sort to play silly games with newspapers.
All this leads one to wonder why this story was written, because it is unusual for a subject to be covered in such close succession as this. And the way it was presented is also interesting. It is worth noting that all News southern outlets ran this weekend’s story but not the other more negative earlier reports. And The ‘Pie believes but has been unable to confirm that the Melbourne story was in the travel section.
The ‘Pie will bet that certain parties – no doubt connected with tourism and airlines as well as local business voices, sent the message for a more happy story in these straited times. The pick-up by Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne papers so uniformly strongly suggests that some pretty unsophisticated lobbying has gone on.
And just to be clear, The Magpie is not suggesting Ms D”Anastasi was fibbing or even exaggerating … that’s the reporter’s job, isn’t it, editor Warhurst.
The Outrage Industry Goes Into Overdrive
The latest bit of over-reaching PC idiocy from one of the many groups piggy-backing on the BLM movement is the BBC’s decision to ban one of the best known and loved comedy pieces of television, the ‘The Germans’ episode of the classic Fawlty Towers series.
Confusing matters even more if it is true, a commenter to the blog says the reason for the ban came from neither the Krauts or the Brits, it was the character of the old major recounting his visit to Lords to watch the cricket and “educating” his companion that the ‘niggers’ (he said it 3 times) were the West Indians because she was calling the Indians ‘wogs’.
But let us leave it to John Cleese himself to inform idiots of the bleedin’ obvious, when he spoke to the SMH..
“One of the things I’ve learned in the last 180 years is that people have very different senses of humour,” the writer, actor and founding member of Monty Python said from his home in Los Angeles. “Some of them understand that if you put nonsense words into the mouth of someone you want to make fun of you’re not broadcasting their views, you’re making fun of them.”
The PETA People Go To Bat For A Cat
But it is not just racism that is prompting people to call for statues to be torn down, and taken from our offended sight. The people from PETA (People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals) are demanding that Mathew Flinders statue be removed from it’s Sydney site.
A spokesdog for PETA issued this statement exclusively to The Magpie.
’During his circumnavigation of the Australian continent, Flinders forced his cat Trim to travel with him in an unsafe small craft, without adequate space for even stalking the odd seagull, there was not so much as a scratching post, with no feline companion, and all in a hostile environment of water water everywhere (traumatising for a cat). PETA researchers have also raised the possibility that Flinders almost certainly ‘forgot the normal order of things’ during such a long voyage without connubial comforts and subjected Trim to endure unconscionable behaviour. (The lead PETA researcher admitted there was no direct proof of this last claim, but the consensus among his fellows researchers was ‘Well, I would, wouldn’t you?’) Such a person as would force an innocent feline, without so much as seeking it’s opinion or permission, to accompany him on his vain glorious exploits should be obliterated from our history.’
And eat your heart out, Astonisher, that is totally exclusive … so much so, that even PETA doesn’t know about it yet.
Chinese Checkers
Some one has kindly decided to check on just how much Australia is in the economic thrall of the Chinese. The good news is not much … the bad news is look at who and how many we are really beholden to.
Name Game
Regulars will know The ‘Pie’s fascination people’s names that fit their role in life. So he was delighted to come across this during the week.
The legal spokesman for the American CNN network has one of the most appropriate monikers to fire back at Donald Trump. Old mate Donald T had taken CNN to task yet again for daring to publish a poll that showed he was rapidly losing popularity, and had threatened legal action if they didn’t withdraw and apologise (the man IS mad – seriously). But the TV network was having none of it, when we were told:
“… But CNN – a network Mr Trump has had a troubled relationship with – pushed back in a scathing response from executive vice-president and general counsel David Vigilante.’
But the best name of the week … or perhaps that is the worst … goes to the Gold Coast developer planning to build the world’s tallest residential tower on the strip.
If the idea goes belly up or, worse, falls down, developer David Badalotti is going to have the extra pain of a lot of bad jokes. As it is, residents of the Tower who tell friends they live in ‘a Badalotti apartment’ will have to put up with such rejoinders as ‘Oh, come now, surely it can be fixed up’.
Yuk yuk yuk.’
But when it comes to the traps of language, The ‘Pie offered his own spoonerism of the week, when gormless Scott Stewart evaded responsibility for lawless Townsville youth, only saying in the investigation into the four young deaths ‘ no stone will be left unturned’. To which The Magpie sent him the message: ‘Scott mate, be warned, come October, no turd will be left unstoned.’
And didn’t they see a downside in Brisbane when the tourism folks came up with this government sponsored slogan on the dropping of travel restrictions.
The Magpie couldn’t help himself, and added his own little extra.
And From The Pot /Kettle File:
This from comments during the week.
The Magpie
June 9, 2020 at 10:59 am (Edit)
Hahahah … no gong for Shazza Markson then?
Check out the writer. Can one assume that the called-for disqualification would include anyone who falsely claimed someone as a chronic workplace alcoholic and thus cost her employers over a million dollars in costs and damages?
Now The Latest From Murder Central
Donald Trump is the bane of satirists. In the new abnormal, the Tangerine Terrorist’s daily stunts make real, biting satire almost impossible, or at least certainly takes the edge off it. Or so The Magpie thought, until he started to look at The New Yorker’s satirist Andy Borowitz. When he nails Trump in brilliant, brief and pithy put downs, the chump-in-chief stays nailed. Some samples head this week’s US round-up.
……………
Ah, so much news, so little time, but if The ‘Pie has missed something you think noteworthy, jump into comments, pick your name and blast away. It’s fun (well most of the time). And if your feeling any guilt, it’s never too late to help out with blog costs with a donation, button is below.
Another great blog Pie and if the ratepayers of Townsville want to understand why they pay the most expensive rates in Queensland and T.C.C. debt Is spiralling towards $500 mil look no further than “ the Magpie “ exposing our Mayors antics and reckless management because the Astonisher is MIA ( anything to do with the full page Taskforce NQ in Saturday’s edition ?) . . The reported $200k to Mike Chiodo and $20k a week to Dr Prin Ralston is abhorrent considering T.C.C. has an economics department , $5 mil budget a year for Future Cities funded by Council / State / Federal with T.C.C. outed for not meeting timelines and delaying projects . Based on the Mayor of Hinchinbrook being on the tasforce does that mean Ingham , Burdekin , Charters Towers ratepayers are also footing the bill . Then there is also the nearly mil $ paid to promote the City . You know Labor , don’t make a decision set up a taskforce / committee + our Mayor wants another committee to promote stadium events even though Stadiums Qld has a team + the millions currently spent by T.C.C. In people .
Don’t forget the task force sub-committees – ten we’re told now. The salaries mentioned (and don’t know if the others get some sort of meeting payment) ARE NOT CONFIRMED, but gougers like Ralston do not do things out of the goodness of their heart … not in Townsville anyway. And Chiodo is getting bis a pay-off for staying in office until after Jenny’s re-election for the look good effect.
And some still wonder why The Magpie is cynical.
Has anyone undertaken an estimate of the value of salaries and related on-costs such as superannuation, leave loadings, workers compensation etc of council staff that will support this task force e.g Laura Vidmar, Coordinator of the NQROC, who I’m told is on a very nice salary package and is funded through ratepayer dollars, and other council staff that will be needed to support this new task group.
Then we have the problem of calculating the value of other costs such as numerous office expenses, IT capital and support costs, communication costs, office refurbishment and furniture, office lease costs (if office isn’t in an existing council building), catering costs for numerous meetings and the list goes on.
Wonder if Jenny will be transparent on these costs?
More information on NQROC is at
https://www.nqroc.qld.gov.au/our-team
While Mayor Mullet is baring her heart … no delete that image … while she is being forthright as repeatedly promised, it would be interesting to know how much Townsville ratepayers stump up for TCC to belong to NQROC … the site says the five councils represent a population of 236,000 (7% indigenous), which in effect, give or take, Townsville represents about 80% of constituents. So the commensurate ante from the TCC will have to match that percentage, no? Any research boffins out there find this out, shouldn’t be hard since Mayor Mullet has made transparency, accountability and openness the orders of the day (exempt of course are airstrips for billionaires, C in C consultancy packages and the outcome of unfortunate vehicular incidents.)
From my experience in preparing Budgets it’s pretty simple. You just take the base salary and add 33% if you are aware of a wage rise in the Next Financial Year you add 35% . It was a very Accurate way of preparing Staff Budget costs
In these bullshit times of overwhelming PC and rewriting history good old Bugs Bunny is in for a rough time.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2vi2du&ved=2ahUKEwjD7bTi4__pAhWEeX0KHX-FCBUQo7QBMAF6BAgAEAE&usg=AOvVaw212y6IuR7OllmVnUyuZuiJ
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D54M_fk5_0hs&ved=2ahUKEwifr7_H5P_pAhUUQH0KHWeyDdI4ChCjtAEwAXoECAIQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1ViG-rKloM4o6gq9hjknwi
That recovery taskforce is a perfect example of why Townsville continues to fail time after time. With the exception of Brad Webb and Luke Anear none of them have ever created anything of substance, and most are just small time players or busted arse public servants, who wouldn’t have 2 cents to rub together. We need people with money to invest, real money, straight out of the pocket and into the economy, instead we get this mob, Townsville, still backing losers.
Cankers is right . If the Mullet had any relationship with key business owners in the City she would be aware Sydney / Melbourne based companies months ago decided to exit non core Townsville assets to try and prop up their failing balance sheets . Add the extra % interest the banks will add based on risk means investment will be tough and other than Brad Webb no one on the numerous committees / task forces have experience or credibility in the big arena . Simply , another rainbow the Mullet is chasing .
Congratulations Magpie on another enlightening and amusing blog (is that the right word?) Long may the Magpie swing on its perch.
Thank you, Knot Hole Fancier.
Betcha some of Ralston’s earnings gets kicked back to Hayes (naturally via a totally legitimate and unrelated services contract) and through Hayes to the campaign coffers. That’s how the show cycles public money for their own benefit. And thanks for that chart on foreign investors. Will the hysteria and Newey-led conspiracies end in the face of facts? Of course not. But if anyone had any doubt about the dubious nature of his conspiracies then they can sit back and wonder what’s going on in Belgium to see them rank #3.
Belgium’s Australian investments will no doubt drop sharply when they learn that WA is renaming the King Leopold Ranges because the bloke was a mass murderer in Africa.
NQRTF: Not Quite Ready To. I just can’t think of a word for the ‘F’
Well, it can’t be ‘fuck’, that EXACTLY what they’re ready to do. To you, me and everybody. One can only hope that voices like Brad Webb’s will be heard.
Fiddle, Fix, Foul-up, Fail, Flounder, Founder, Farnarcle, Flumux, Fleece, Flabbergast, Fart, Fudge, Fib, Fossic, Fossilise, for a few
You missed Filch.
Damn, what time is the next one due?
Fuck-off sounds like a good idea
Recently I saw a promotion for PETA. Not sure where I saw it, but I was impressed and I am going to join!
No, not that PETA, the other PETA.
People Eating Tasty Animals.
Pie, good old PETA sure had the bull by the horns ! Matthew Flinders (two t’s Pie) sailed around Australia in a ship approximately 100 feet in length. Plenty of room for a ships cat as their main job was to keep the mice and rats numbers down as well as ample scratching post room. Trim was reportedly born on sailing ship so probably had salt water in his veins ! Sounds like a purrfect cats life !
Spoilsport.
Alahazbin
The word your looking for is Function?
Them too.
It was noted that the mullet is not on the main group. Oh yes she is! What do you think that those two down the bottom of the list are doing there.
Present as fall guys if this doesn’t work.
I thought I would let you know Malcom we are starting friday night markets on the 31 st july they will be held the last friday of every month, from 5 pm till 9 pm . they will be called “Showground Trash & Treasure Markets”
You beaut, a welcome return to what used to be a Townsville favourite. Got a contact for prospective stall holders?
Qld LNP leadership speculation lead story in ABC RN midday news. The Kid got a mention.
They are devoted Magpie readers.
As a relative newcomer to your (fascinating) weekly outpourings – I find if only 25% of your reported shenanigans are correct, then what a terribly corrupt city we all live in. Please keep up the good work.
The Magpie track record is a bit patchy, because of the necessary guesstimate judgements and anonymity that is sadly necessary to get things out there. But The’Pie would like to think his strike rate might be a bit better than 25%, but thanks for the kind words. And don’t forget to make this your first port of call if you catch a notable doing unnatural things with small furry animals. Pics if possible.
Sick of blow in editors. Latest one has no idea and appointed his wife as chief of staff. What a joke.
With no disrespect to either party, since The ‘Pie doesn’t know either’s full track record, but having a COS as wife of the editor is a morale nut crusher. Disagree with the COS and you can be sure you’re disagreeing the editor. It also puts a blanket on free-for-all newsroom banter, and don’t dismiss that as inconsequential … dealing the both the nasty and the nice of the daily news cycle, letting of steam is necessary and tolerated with a fair bit of latitude is well run newsroom. Not in News anymore, QED.
It crushes more than morale Magpie. It would be like having your nuts in a walnut crusher, or your fannie in one of those lock thingies!
Frecklington just doesn’t get it – it’s not because she is female that people want her out. It is because she doesn’t offer any credible or tangible opposition to Nanna Anna. She is a cardboard cutout. Why do these politicians just not understand this? She is as useless as Anthony ‘white whale’ Alabanese (male), Kevin KRudd (male), Malcolm Turdball (male)…..Bill Shorten (male) got his ass kicked because he was a douchebag. This is the Stare election that the LNP shouldn’t be able to lose. Nanna Anna and her border policies that are murdering our economy and the disastrous Jackie Tradgic are giving the LNP a gift horse. But no, the Freckle is too thick to see that the only thing stopping her part winning at the end of the year is her. If the LNP don’t roll her NOW and out the Kid in charge, it’s all over for the LNP before the campaigning begins. If they leave it much longer to make the change it will be too late. Just sayin…….
Be interesting to see what happens over the next week or two, I don’t think the LNP will change anything, it’s the Nats turn to lead and the Libs had two turns in a row and fucked it up completely, you have to fuck it up and lose an election before you lose your turn, and she hasn’t lost an election yet, so no real need to get rid of her. Secondly although I like David many from the Nats don’t, people I speak to find him a bit too polished, just the way the Nats are, and people need to understand that, losing an election is one thing, losing in the party room to the Liberals, that’s even worse.
Heaven forfend, not a leader who is ‘polished’, articulate, and with real bite.
The Nats seen as a ‘bit to polished’? I wonder the average Nat voter would look like..
Here ya go, Parson.
Cantankerous these Nats who think it’s their turn to lead, where are they? Are turds hard to polish?
When I think of the labor party and “shovel ready projects” in the same sentence , I think of the interview the late former Victorian Labor Senator John Button gave on his retirement , when he said there were a lot in the labor party he’d like to take a shotgun to .
And I wonder if Tony Mooney and Hill are squirming yet , when it becomes clear to the world that the Robert Towns Blackbirder statue was erected by their right wing labor council on 18 May, 2005. And that they are very accessible people to the worlds media. And have a ways to fall. And when their accumulated racist statements are played and read back to them that the celebration of a blackbirder/slaver will fit right into the corruption narrative.
Self confessed workplace bully and former iditor of the Astonisher, Peter Typo Gleeson, is really in the shit tonight. Social media has gone into meltdown over his callous racist column published in several News Ltd papers today, where his message in so many words is that black lives DON’T matter. A petition is circulating for a complaint to the Press Council, and Twitter in particular is filled with angry comments.
But The Magpie is not in the least bit surprised … this was always the measure of the man.
I thought his article was great. At least it quoted facts not lame brain slogans
Hopefully ‘Gleeso’ has just made himself into a ‘shovel ready project’ and he will soon be out out to pasture, maybe given a casual gig on local farm radio in Barcaldine. The bloke is a complete flog and people have been sick of his pompous self opinionated dribble for a long time. Bad timing Gleeso, bad timing. Enjoy retirement and don’t bang the door behind you on the way out……bye bye
Typo had his uses, every time The ‘Pie heard his voice, he was reminded to oil his squeaky car door. And ‘….local farm radio in Barcaldine’? Well, that’d be a step up from Sky.
The rumblings from the LNP are firming up and the leaks continue that the Freckle will soon be lanced. The Kid is hungry for the deputy dog position and he can see the keys to the palace coming his way in October if he can get the Deputy role. Now is the time to strike. Team Nanna Anna are on the nose. There is no opposition capitalising on her and her parties failures. The Freckle just doesn’t have it in her – no hunger whatsoever. But the little bloke does. As has been mentioned he has the energy of an Energiser Bunny. Too many softies in politics – Shorten, Albanese, Tim Nicols, Steelwool Langbroek, the list is endless. Where have the bulldogs gone? We need someone with passion and energy to really shake the apple tree because quite frankly, State and Federal politics are fucked, and so is our State of Queensland financially. What’s next; Townsville becomes another CHAZ?
Unfortunately, The Freckle is just too nice. The one time she did play mean girl, it was to call out Nanna Anna on fashion!
I’m not saying that she needs to get to Trad’s level of Machiavellian plotting, but a bit more mongrel is required to be an effective political leader.
There’s a touch of the Hyacinth Bucket about her.
Yep a bouquet, which when its time is up becomes compost.
Mr Magpie while you raise the question about whether the LNP hierarchy have the wit and guts to opt for an energizer bunny, or stick with a dead sheep, today’s Crikey is putting some names to the ‘coup’ plot: “After damaging internal polling was leaked to News Corp papers, The Australian ($) reports that Queensland LNP leader Deb Frecklington has slammed “backroom bully boys” — thought to include party president Dave Hutchinson, former premier Campbell Newman and former LNP president Bruce McIver — allegedly agitating for a coup.” I would have thought the name Campbell Newman would be a dead albatross around the neck of any LNP election campaign so your mate, ‘The Kid’, really will have his work cut out.
I suspect that the Freckle dragged those names out of the closet and rattle their dead chains primarily to give us all a scare and remind us of what happened last time there was a little man running the show.
The internal politics is always more fun than the “real” thing.
Yeah but, “party president Dave Hutchinson” is not someone dragged from the closet, he’s the current man. I noticed ‘The Kid’ on ABC News denying he was up to anything. So it looks like it’s the dead sheep after all – about as exciting as Sam Cox and the Palmer candidate, Whatsisname, combined. I wish Cantankerous still had some pull in the Nats because this state election is starting to look as boring as batshit with Labor likely to just sleepwalk back in, no worries.
Totally wrong read, but why would we be surprised at that?
When it came to biting the bullet, the LNP’s toothless tiger power brokers have gifted the state to possible greater chaos than this busted arse government, by encouraging the already restive minor party vote. Hung parliament, anyone? Back room deals, anyone?
Crikey has some more news this morning:
“On the other side of politics, The Australian ($) reports that the relationship between Queensland Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington and LNP headquarters continues to crumble, after Frecklington received unanimous support last night from party MPs.
The paper also explores how multiple background figures are on the payroll of one Clive Palmer — not just president David Hutchinson, but ally and former president Bruce McIver and members of the state executive Malcolm Cole and Larry Anthony.
PS: In just the latest federal expense scandal, The Guardian reports that Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack and his wife billed taxpayers for return flights to the Melbourne Cup, then justified the trip by re-announcing a three-year-old funding pledge to a bunch of pissed off councillors.”
Clive Palmer running amok in the LNP? Who’d of thought?
There can be no doubt that Australia generally and Queensland particularly have been let down by the shadowy background figures of mainstream political parties, Labor by bit’s performance and behaviour in office and the LNP in it’s cynical lip service to their mistaken idea of popular electorate whims – the main here, a woman leader at any cost. Well, in October, these spineless goofs are about to discover the cost.
Perhaps no deep analysis there, but a very real and looming danger … a minority government subject to the will of some fancy dress fringe dwellers on the edge of the mainstream encampment … a number of them (Malcolm Roberts comes to mind on the federal scene and the classroom pest Clive Palmer both state and federally) make even Trump look statesmanlike, a silver tongued articulate and sane person.
The ‘Pie notes a move in Sydney to create a party called the Sensible Centre, https://sensiblecentre.org.au/ on the face of it, a cure for The’Pie’s greatest lament about a lack of consensus between left and right. It was an ideal Malcolm Fraser was working towards at the time of his death, and given his late life ditching of dogma, there had been great hope of a quantum change in politics. But a look at the Sensible Centre website hints that this is nothing more than the latest season’s lambswool parka for yet another political wolf, with one striking similarity to the attempt some years ago to form a breakaway nationals party in Queensland. Back then, The Magpie correctly dubbed that comical effort the Clayton’s Party – the party you’re having when you’re not having a party. …. because the manifesto of that short-lived venture had an almost identical party policy to this one from the Sensible Centre:
Candidates for office and elected representatives of our movement have an obligation to work collaboratively with colleagues, but retain a right to hold and exercise a conscience vote on any matter, and/or a right to vote in accordance with majority opinion in their constituency. in other words, free to cross the floor for sectional interest reasons on say, national policies.
Would you care for some jerky with your dog’s breakfast, sir?
I believe TCC and their ‘chosen’ friends are indeed shovel ready – they are ready to stick their symbolic shovels into piles of Government cash and then shovel that money into their bank accounts. Consultanting on BS working groups that will achieve nothing is tantamount to shovelling shit. They may as well go and help out on some cattle farms.
Make sure to lock up the homestead and the women.
And the latest news from the Bulletin’s Police and Courts reporter is …. a story about if and maybe hospital expansion plans.
Look, we all know Hospital board chairman Tony Mooney is a criminal hit-and-run drunk driver, but lumping hospital stories under ‘Police and Courts’ is a tad imaginative.
Suddenly our of this virus we have a magical figure of $250,000 to clean up an elective surgery backlog, now this little pearler of $1.2B, no mention of a carpark in the plans, but all to be done by 2025, probably just in time for the water supply to be connected to the Burdekin in conjunction with a huge battery factory. The Labor money tree has many branches, as evidenced by the branch stacking seen on 60 minutes last night, possible criminal charges to arise.
Actually, think you will find a car park is mentioned as part of the you beaut 12 storey planned addition … but what would be nice to know is how much of that building will be paid for by the gouging of the last few years for parking in the sun, on baking asphalt. And there is no point in counting the cost of the entry/exit gates, and the parking ticket machines …. they wouldn’t be necessary if suddenly overnight, we had to start paying for something we cannot avoid, whether it be illness or anxiety for loved ones. Wonder if His Radiance would allow us to know he has raised in this manner – correct me if wrong, but wasn’t it his idea? Worked great for him as a mayor.
100 mourners per funeral, the Funeral industry, may be getting a bonus.
Health Minister Steven Miles told reporters limiting the number of mourners was one of the hardest restrictions to implement.
“It’s an event that people don’t get to choose the timing of,” he said on Monday.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/qld-allowing-100-mourners-at-funerals/news-story/57235139ba29f3789072d6842d42eef2
So we are allowed to start dying again, good to know. Mind you, The ‘Pie wouldn’t be hard pressed to find 100 to turn up his final rites … led by Mayor Mullet, Capt Snooze, Bazza Taylor, Typo Gleeson, His Radiance, and Steve From Belgian Gardens, the eulogy would be drowned out by the clinking of champagne glasses.
Surely you mean red wine glasses.
Suggesting a statement of political allegiances?
No. Only to red wine.
The timing of the announcement about 100 attendees being able to attend a funeral sounds a bit suspicious and might have been rushed through to avoid any political manoeuvres and exemptions needing to be given for four Indigenous funerals still
to happen.
Very reasonable conjecture.
So what happens if the 4 are buried at the same time? is it a job lot of 100 or single entry of 100 per deceased at 4 separate locations? Tricky eh?
With the greatest respect Broken Heel, why on earth do you want to know this? I’m keen to know why?
If you do ever die Pie, I’ll do a ‘drive by’ with some fresh flowers.
Don’t bother stopping. I’ll still be dead.
What did the flowers do to deserve such a fate? It’s a bit like the old rejoinder, Jesus never said kill a tree for my birthday.
How do you know?
I’ve been a reader since you were in print and wouldn’t take pleasure in your passing! And I wouldn’t expect there to be a dry eye in the house.
Yup, keep ‘em laughing to the end, sent off with tears of mirth … what more could a bird ask.
Well, it would all depend on how you died Magpie. If you were on the nest instead of in it, it may be a moment on which mirth could be used.
Very fucking funny.
Pie – where did you get the international investment data? I showed it to someone who demanded “facts” to back it up; and here I was thinking we were living in a post-fact paradice.
Tell your ‘someone’ to look the facts to dispute it. If it were not for the PC times we live in, The ‘Pie would ask what happened to his last little black boy, die of overwork?
Deb Freckle and that lame Tim Mander have to go. They are the most undynamic duo I have ever seen.
I see a letter in today’s Oz online asking how long it will be before James Cook University seeks “a name change (away) from a dead oppressor”. Anyone think it might be on the cards?
The hate and division that would cause would be immense.
Let’s call it Townsville University oh no
that is going to offend .
University Rural Australia North – Unified Society
or
URANUS
Which is where you pulled that laboured effort from,. Beddy byes, Dave.
How about The JC University? That should cause a few sphincter tightener’s.
Nailed it! Oh, wait …
That names taken villeified , his Mooneyness tony called it the Townsville university hospital. I remember a fromt page story in the bulletin years ago when Mooney wanted local law 51 inacted to rid the inner city of parkies. Come on Steve your labor friend Mooney was a giant racist according to your thinking. Headline read “we’re the parkies” they all came back….. still drunk, still stoned and still couldn’t give a fuck about anyone else.
Which seems to make the location of the Towns’ statue most appropriate, in that itinerants cast out of their own communities should gather in the proximity of a heartless historical figure.
Townsville University General Hospital. Aka Tug’h
While it’s probably understandable that name changes tend to make some uncomfortable, something faniliar has disappeared, but The ‘Pie thinks nit an excellent idea to have the uni involved with the hospital. During his ntime there, many ofb the nurses were either training or were graduates of JCU, so it makes sense. Actually sounds a bit more swisho, too.
A Greens staff member, together with one other, was charged with vandalizing a statue of Lieutenant James Cook RN, Captain of His Majesty’s Bark Endevour .
And now this.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-15/busts-of-tony-abbott-john-howard-vandalised/12355190
Are we starting to see that one side of politics is predisposed to statue vandalism?
This tail wagging the dog has got to stop, somewhere and soon.
Three percent of the Australian population identifies as ATSI. The Magpie fully supports a proper shared dialogue for more respect, recognition and assistance to the first Australians, a term he agrees wholeheartedly with. And, subtracting the inevitable ratbags, probably around 90% of the the rest of population support that notion, even if they cannot grasp yet how such a dialogue can move forward.
But I will NEVER support those who attempt to erase our (often ugly) history, a history we are aware of warts and all … and plenty of good as well. It will not be turned into some dreamtime lizard of total evil and of no benefit to us all. Leave our physical edifices, our statues and, where there is no direct racial denigration involved, our named institutions alone. Maybe … only maybe …. alter the plaques to reflect the aboriginal dissatisfaction, or accept Peter Fitzsimmons excellent suggestion of erecting a statue of the main aboriginal resistor to early settlers close to Cook’s.
But indigenous Australians, including you bandwagon jumpers of dubious claims who emerged from the primordial mist when it became fashionable to do so, take pause and recognise this: the current movement is led by a cohort now that is making you all look over-entitled, heel kicking toddlers, to whom no demand is too outrageous, unfair or negotiable. This is now clearly spilled over into reverse racism and dark irrelevant political motivations have been injected into the events.
And I for one am not having it.
LEAVE OUR STATUES ALONE. A-FUCKING-LONE.
We really are living in some type of bizarre world where everything has seemly been turned in its head.
I read that members of far right organisations such as the English Defence League and Britain First have taken to guarding Churchill’s statue to protect it from further damage by BLM anti-racist demonstrators.
So the fascists are protecting a statute of the most famous opponent of fascism from being damaged by rampaging mobs of anti-fascists?
The statue of Robert Towns isn’t old enough to vote yet, it wasn’t erected through a public subscription or after a groundswell of popular demand. The majority of the population probably don’t even know it exists or where it is. It has little artistic merit or educational value, and Towns is unworthy of the honour. Our public monuments should be reserved for our best people or our highest ideals. The decision to remove the statue wouldn’t harm a soul, and opposition to it is kneejerk reaction.
hahaha, a bloke whom a couple workmates describe as a ‘dopey cockhead’ – their words, not The ‘Pie’s – is now an art critic and educationalist?
Might The ‘Pie point out there has been no genuine groundswell of popular demand for its removal, although the rabble rousing likes of you would have us believe otherwise. It is just a convenient vehicle for the social media ‘absolute Willy Wonka chocolate factory of confected outrage’, a perfect parfait of political correctness.
Steve, certainly you can have your history, and certainly, The ‘Pie would support a ‘side by side’ policy – say, Towns and Mabo sited closely together with appropriate explanatory plaques, for balance, a national policy of similar match-ups.
If you can have your history, we can have ours, too, you goose-stepping self-regarding (white) bully.
Yeah Steve, like your workmates said ‘Cockhead’. Wow, WORKMATES said that? Who needs……..
Privately to The ‘Pie.
It must be snowing in hell this morning … it is generally accepted that that is more likely than The Magpie ever agreeing with ANYTHING Mayor Mullet could do (except resigning in shame), but lo and behold, flakes must be falling gently on the flames this day.
And someone must be writing her stuff for her … is there a hint of the Dolan Hayes silver Mont Blanc in this from today Astonisher story.
Cr Hill said there was insufficient evidence to support the allegations Towns was a black birder and slave trader.
“In response to feedback from the community, a previous council engaged Dr Kett Kennedy, a then professor of history at James Cook University, to undertake research on Robert Towns,” she said.
“Dr Kennedy’s research could not conclusively prove that Mr Towns was knowingly involved in some of the activities that he is alleged to have been involved in.”
Let us put aside our Jenny’s fondness for things not being ‘conclusively proved’ – if they were, she’d either be out of office, in jail or retired to Malta. The telling thing here is that while The ‘Pie has personal reason to make sure to check anything Ket Kennedy ever said, if this was his honest opinion (always a problem with academics paid to study something), then it is likely true.
Because if anyone had the inclination and political posture to stick the boot into Towns, it would Dr Kennedy, he was of the mien to have loved to cry racist and stir up whatever mayhem may result.
Then we can remove that hideous monstrosity (eddie mabo sculpture) on the palmer st side as well if the robert towns statue is gone. it Has no significant meaning to anyone in Townsville. It was erected because mabo stayed in a hotel for 10 mins during his life and the aboriginal people claim him because of it. Last I looked he was torris strait islander, he received no surport from aboriginals until the court made its finding. What a surprise! The aboriginals sit atound and wait for someone else to do all hard work then claim rights. Take the mabo sculpture away.
“Has no significant meaning to anyone in Townsville. It was erected because mabo stayed in a hotel for 10 mins during his life”
You might be thinking of Towns, who is infamous for exactly that.
Your knowledge of Mabo and his connection to the city are about what one would expect from someone who gets all their knowledge of history from statues, which we’ve established are useless for educational purposes.
Well, hang on a minute, if statues have no value for educational purposes – as though that was ever a motivation for erecting a statue – why bother with them, why tear them down, they’re just decorations? And the Mabo statue is of no educational value?
People often denounce statue removal as “erasing”, “changing” or “rewriting” history, as if history is known primarily through bronze or stone instead of the written word. Really it’s simply a matter of deciding someone is no longer worthy of public honour (honour and veneration being the reason for erecting these statues).
And you do the deciding for us, eh? You apply your inviolable values on behalf of all of we less enlightened folk? So grateful. But if that’s the case, why so upset with Rio Tinto?
Karma if you think Eddie Mabo is irrelevant in Townsville’s history because he ” . . stayed in a hotel for 10 mins during his life and the aboriginal people claim him because of it”, then you are simply ignorant. Anyway, when was the last time you looked – as you claim? You are not a reliable witness.
In a rare moment of unity, The ‘Pie agrees with you, ECQ, and the suggestion of Eddie Mabo’s tenure in this town is simply and glaringly wrong. However, have you hoist yourself n your own petard, matey? Your suggestion in so many words is that Eddie Mabo is relevant to the history of this city … then so surely in Towns, albeit in diametrically opposed ways. No matter how some would like ton re-write history, both figures are just vthat, part of our history. Towns’ fleeting connection to the city is still indicative of the black birding trading connection to the region, and such should declared on any plaque. Sorry, if Mayor Mullet is to be believed (always a question) that shoukld be ‘alleged’ connection to black birding.
As I said before, the statue wasn’t erected by a popular vote, and it clearly does more damage to the city’s reputation than good. The best thing the statue defenders can come up with is “maybe he didn’t know about the slavery”.
And once again, it’s not rewriting history, it’s honouring people who are worthy of it. Both Towns and Mabo are part of local history, but only Mabo is worth honouring for his achievements.
So you say, and so many of us DO NOT SAY. What arrogance for you to decide what history should be publicly remembered, and why. The Magpie doesn’t give a fuck about Towns per se, but he does give a fuck about being bullied by a virtue-signalling cock-head who presumes to speak for a majority of the population. You aren’t even black, Steve, which makes you all the more sus. Please study this.
history | ˈhist(ə)rē |
noun (plural histories)
1 the study of past events, particularly in human affairs:
• the past considered as a whole:
2 the whole series of past events connected with someone or something:
3 a continuous, typically chronological, record of important or public events or of a particular trend or institution:
Steve, you’ve had a good run on this blog, but the end is nigh, old son. We all know where circular arguments get us … back to the start, again and again. The ‘Pie understands but does not accept your argument, please have the courtesy to do likewise. In the cause of preventing further tedium to other readers, future attempts at discussion on this topic from you will be carefully considered in light of the above before publication.
Mr Magpie just for the record I haven’t mentioned the Towns statue – I’ve never seen it and don’t care one way or the other. I don’t think I’ve seen the Mabo statue either but I’ve seen and met the man and learned a lot about his story. We can all learn a lot about our history by learning about Eddie Mabo and the complexities of that High Court case.
certainly … Mabo n is part of all our SHARED history. So is Towns, and Cook.
“But indigenous Australians, including you bandwagon jumpers of dubious claims who emerged from the primordial mist when it became fashionable to do so, take pause and recognise this: the current movement is led by a cohort now that is making you all look over-entitled, heel kicking toddlers, to whom no demand is too outrageous, unfair or negotiable.”
Mr Magpie, I thought the Referendum Council was appointed and supported by government and opposition to address this very question. They did so, reported back to the government in 2017 and have almost completely been bookcased.
What very question, there wasn’t one, it was a statement.
“How to best recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in our Constitution is a topic for all Australians. ”
That is the question that the Referendum Council was appointed to answer. Part of its answer was the Uluru Statement. This may not be couched in language that you accept but don’t worry, PM Turnbull threw the whole thing out. It’s writhing around in the dirt, perhaps ready to be resurrected by the current PM, or not.
Particularly frightening in the context of people like Jacinta Price speaking up with facts and lived experience being shouted down or suggested they are “not black enough” because their views do not match the story being manufactured by the mainstream protesters.
Someone in the lunchroom pointed out yesterday that they believe people just wanted a day out after lockdown rather than really caring what they protest about.
Jacinta Price has been speaking up about violence against women and children in town camps and communities for years, but gets called a coconut by her own people for her efforts. The racism shown toward her is appalling.
Well said Sir
Ladies and gents, we have a winner … caption writer of the year.
IT’S RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF YOU, CHUCKLEHEAD.
Full points for consistency.
In 3 years Deb Frecklington has not cut through – has not laid a glove on Anna. Labor have been the most inept government these past 4 years. To the idiots in the lnp party who voted Deb in because she was a woman – hang your heads in shame! Change leaders now! Who can lead this state to victory – the future success of the state of QLD is all that matters! But a leader in who can do this and do it now!
Errr Bill, WHO are you addressing with this commentary? The Pie and us contributors are on the sidelines and have no influence, like you! Unless you are………?
Well said Bill! The QLD LNP has had a host of soft and useless leaders. The Freckle, Nicols, Langbroek, the Borg, they are all soft and they use feathers, wet lettuce leaves and thin air to attack their atrocious Labour opposition. What a joke. This ridiculous push to elevate women and LGBQT has become obsessive and a complete disaster. The best person for the position should be promoted or engaged to perform that role, that should be the basis. Just like the federal election in which Labor just couldn’t lose, the wrong person was leading the team, and they lost. Put The Kid into the LNP Leadership role and attack Nanna Anna and her team of tossers ruthlessly until the end of the year and we might stand a chance of having Labor booted out. Where’s the mongrel needed to get the job done? Labor are a fetid mess. A disgrace. And the LNP are working from the Bill Short’one handbook on how to lose an election that can’t be lost!!!!
An aside: did anyone else notice that in the LNP shadow cabinet’s March if the Wooden Soldiers at the media call yesterday to avow full backing for The Freckle (Christ, she must have some interesting photos), the opposition spokesman for tourism, one David Crisafulli, could not be spotted, despite several camera angles. However, he was interviewed at the end of the story, and showed his media style when he was asked if he would rule out any challenge ton Frecklington. He looked directly at the questioner, stuck his chin out (sort of) and said forcefully, ‘The answer to that question is YES,’ and marched off, to bide his time elsewhere.
It’s the quality of a good politician to be able to lie without flinching! That said, they all lie so it doesn’t bother me if he gets the top job, he would be a much better Leader. I did laugh at the Pie’s comment about the bobble heads. Referee Mander standing there and smiling like a prize goose. Another useless twat.
Of course, weasel words from the kid. Someone else challenges, a spill is called and the kid throws his hat in the ring. Just like scomo. The kid is a wanker.
Another deep analysis.
Bet I am right.
Kid Crisafulli is the consummate politician. He tells you, what you want to hear to get your vote.
But that’s about it.
Not vsure what all that means, but best remember, as he no doubt does, losers don’t legislate. So you have to start by winning votes.
But I still think he will do a good job as Premier.
Just look. At the mess in Victoria. You can transfer some of that behaviour to Qld.
And another thing he would be different to victoria … Crisafulli would NEVER become a communist fellow traveller of the Chinese Government.
Hang on PantsBulge. The LNP opposition put the person THEY thought was best in charge of the parliamentary party. Clearly they don’t think The Kid has what it takes and he seems to agree with them. At this rate Labor will just fall over the line without having to actually try. And what is the LNP doing about Clive Palmer? Is it possible that he’s the one with the “interesting photos”?
Not the HIV, thatnis a stupid comment. And Kevin Rudd and Malcolm Turnbull won elections too. But their gloss wore off when people saw they were knobs.
And yes the LNP did put the best person in charge at the time, the best of a crap bunch. But The Kid has raced ahead in leaps and bounds and ya shown that Frecklington is no longer the best suited to run the Party.
Inflexibility has been a political nemesis for time immemorial, among other things, it is why the British military got their arses kicked in the American war of independence … although seeing what’ve ended up with today, bloody shame they lost.
But those among you in the cheap (shot) seats, be assured that The ‘Pie is no Johnny-Come-Lately and is expressing of his friendship and support for The Kid simply because he’s soon to become Queensland premier (4 years if the LNP lose in October). The support is there because The ‘Pie picked Crisafulli as a comer more than 16 years ago, when he broke the Mooney wall of 100% Labor when he elected to the TCC. After the amalgamation election, when he topped the poll of all 49 other candidates, The Kid, as The Magpie had then named the 24-year-old in the newspaper column – full title: Kid Crisafulli, the Child Councillor from the West), became deputy mayor to Les Tyrell. in 2012 he moved into state politics, becoming the member for Mundingburra, became LGovt minister but was a victim of the LNP’s Newman idiocy, and was ousted by Coralee O’Rourke. Her election proved that a majority of the electorate had just fallen off the potato truck, and one hopes that those who voted for this disgraceful waste of space are rightly ruing their lack of foresight.
So if there’s someone better, more determined, more articulate on either side of politics to lead this state with a youthful outlook and embodying much needed generational change, please name them.
Exactly. Well said
I see the PC brigade now want Coon to change the name of their range of cheeses.
Where is this going to end?
Imagine if Billy Cokebottle and his mate Morton were still around.
The idiocy bof that is that without even checking, The ‘Pie will guarantee that way back when, no one was sitting around the dairy having a beer (as ‘workshopping’ used to be known) and said, ‘Hey, why don’t we call a European, yellow/white dairy product after a North American tree animal which is also a racist slur on blacks.’
Pretty soon, there will be calls for reprimanding footy callers for squawking that a penalty was ‘fair enough’.
Coon cheese was named after the inventor of that particular product – Edward Coon. Should the family now change their surname to placate the PC brigade?
Most people would never think to use that term for a person of colour. If you do use that word, changing the label on a packet of cheese isn’t about to stop you.
Attacking the brand name COON rears its head every self righteous PC ignorant generation or so.
COON is the trademark of a cheddar cheese produced by Warrnambool Cheese and Butter company in Australia. It was first launched in 1935, by Fred Walker. No its Walker!
Coon cheese is named after its American creator, Edward William Coon (1871–1934) of Philadelphia, who patented a method, subsequently known as the Cooning process, for fast maturation of cheese via high temperature and humidity
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coon_cheese
The one trusts that the patented method did not involve the armpits or cheeks of sweaty ladies named Abigail or Betsy.
Edward William Coon would be curdling in his grave!
Please don’t mention where he’s buried, the Outrageous Industry will hire a bus for people with sledgehammers.
The other day I ordered a tall black with 2 shots and received a terrible look.
You may be making a joke here in Oz, Tradie, but for some time now in the States, airlines have been instructed that when serving coffee, the inquiry whether it be white or black is the phrase ‘with or without’?
Will our Kiwi cousins now have to change some of their sporting team names? All Blacks and Tall Blacks (basketball) – the PC brigade have you in their sights.
Isn’t it now called coffee with no milk. Never BLACK! Hee hee.
Anyone who thinks that the LNP can ever provide a stable constant political presence in Qld is just delusional. You have two completely seperate and different ideological bases, trying to put aside those differences to try and present some illusion of cohesion and unity, it’s a load of horse shit. The best outcome for any form of Labor opposition in Qld would come from a Nat/Lib coalition, as it always had in the past, as It does now federally and in NSW. If we consider our own area in NQ, a separate National party would most likely still hold the 3 seats around Townsville and could still contest Thuringowa in a 3 cornered contest of which preferences would negate the Katter and ONP vote. The architects behind the LNP always blamed 3 cornered contest as an excuse for poor election results, where the facts are brainless fuckwits with inept policies were the main reason for bad poll results. So now we are just stuck with this lemon of an idea, that may stumble its way to victory from time to time but nothing more, you only have to look at the way it fell apart and lost a 30 seat majority in one term.
“You have two completely seperate and different ideological bases, trying to put aside those differences to try and present some illusion of cohesion and unity, it’s a load of horse shit”
Cranky. Pants, that is an absolutely accurate description of the faction ridden ALP, so fine bloody choice we’ve got, eh?.
” . a separate National party would most likely still hold the 3 seats around Townsville and could still contest Thuringowa in a 3 cornered contest of which preferences would negate the Katter and ONP vote.”
I’d like to see that. It’s a complete rainbow unicorn fantasy but I’m with you, Cantankerous. But what should we do with referee Mander? Can we park him with Clive Palmer somehow?
Can I change the subject?
At home with Rupert and Jerry.
https://youtu.be/1yPH0mCQagY
I am surprised that the issue of removing James Cook from the University title didn^t happen years ago.
People may remember when the JCU logo featured his ship Endeavour. This was quietly removed with no public discussion, the assumpton was that it might offend indigenous students.
All the best Pie!
Thanks Tom, to you, too.
Tom, you might be confusing the JCU “logo” with the JCU Coat of Arms. The Coat of Arms with a pair of brolgas supporting the Endeavour under full sail at the top – is still in use, as seen on countless parchment degree forms awarded each year since 1970. ‘The Kid’ Crisafulli would have one, probably framed, hanging in an office somewhere.
With all of the crazy political idiocy around at the moment I wonder what they’re going to change the name of the James Cook University of North Queensland and the Eddie Koiki Mabo Library to.
I’m certain the do gooders will think of some politically correct names that don’t mean anything to the majority of the population.
P’raps they should name all of them by Blinky Bill’s eclectic entourage?
Nice soft cuddly and anthropomorphic enough for the academi-ducks to pontificate in.
Crits, changing it to Townsville University, to
line up with the Townsville University Hospital would be sensible, but far too easy a solution in this ‘let’s complicate everything’ world, I expect!
Eminently sensible; when can we form a committee to set an agenda to ratify your proposition?
However it will require an environmental impact assessment, a sub-committee to conduct a thorough investigation as to the copy-write ownership, correct spelling and historical accuracy and etymology of all 3 words, especially the ubiquitous “the”.
Also a technical team to validate the accuracy of your unique proposal as a reflection of current and future needs of fruit bats.
Reckon that Cairns will readily agree to that name?
Grumpy, it could be simply labelled as The Cairns campus, of The Townsville University. Or even consider the overall name change to North Qld University (Townsville campus, Cairns campus, Woop Woop Annexe) etc. As per what Central Qld Uni does at present.
As I said, too simple and straightforward in this ‘let’s complicate everything’ world we are part of!!!
How racist of you, Plucker! Singapore doesn’t get a look-in?
Gee the Mullet and the tossers at TEL would love that Plucker, the Cairns campus of the Townsville University, The international campus of Townsville University in Singapore, the SEQ campus of Townsville University in Brisbane, imagine all the junket trips they could organise themselves around that setup.
But on the other hand (and seriously), imagine also the excellent profiling of the city generally when the uni researcher come up with world class results on various topics, including marine biology – which they do from time to time. This of course applies only to those academic staff not otherwise vitally engaged in writing indigenous/female/sexual orientation/save the aardvark manifestos.
And please, a message for the tiresome, this is NOT a comment on the desirability or possibility of changing the name of the university to ob literate Cook, the comment stands alone and speaks for itself.
Plucker, if you think that Cairns would accept being seen as the branch office of a Townville institution (which, believe me, they would), then you have no idea of how sensitive Cairns residents are when it comes to their relationship with Cairns. Paranoid, even. I spent 25 years juggling their petty little hang ups. Some of them are quite loony.
Think you meant relationship with Townsville, but it’s a bit ambiguous.Advise and will amend.
Further, Plucker. In the agency I worked for, the Cairns mob took exception at the description ”North Queensland” as it excluded Cairns – they describe themselves as ” FAR North Queensland ” We actually had to bring in external mediators. It was resolved by describing the agency as ”Northern Queensland”. It is that bad.
“Great Barry, A Reefer University” would fit the bill AND gain worldwide recognition as well as adequately describing the level of intellectual activity there.
And the stimulation used for creative input.
In the shadows of the infamous ‘Boaty McBoatface’, how about Uni McUniface or Learny McLearnface? And for the hospital, ‘Mooney McMoonface’?
Critical I think you have made James Cook into a straw man. It’s just wiffle waffle.
This whole thing is being perverted by those climbing over each other to demonstrate that they are the most virtuous of all.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-16/colonial-brewing-banned-from-eastern-state-liquor-store/12360122
Everybody in Oz was a colonial at that time until Federation , eg The Wild Colonial Boy.
He ended up as the main course at a Island Barbie, so he may have got his just desserts.
The reef survival story was written because:
1. The corals that survived ARE starting to get their symbiotic zooxanthellae algae back;
2. Magnetic Island is going to get an influx of tourists, who unwittingly smash corals to bits – I wanted to get my reef safe snorkel habits out there so that tourists and tourism operators do a better job of directly looking after Magnetic Island’s reef since snorkeller damage is readily visible on key reefs, especially Arthur Bay. It’s a minor threat compared to climate change, but every time it happens, it’s a little harder for the reefs to grow, survive and reproduce;
3. to highlight that although the reef survived, it’s still in trouble, which is reflected in the article where I explain that many corals won’t have enough energy to reproduce in the next two years, or where I said that they need reprieve from marine heatwaves, or where I said that you can still see they’ve been through a major bleaching event, because there is still a lot of bleaching out there;
4. and, finally, because I rang Keagan Elder about how the corals that survived were getting their zooxanthellae back, and about the need to directly protect Magnetic Island’s fragile reefs from tourist damage.
As for the headline – I have don’t know who wrote that and I had no knowledge of it and I agree that it’s misleading – it did not reflect the content of the article which CLEARLY articulates that although the corals survived but are not ‘out of the woods yet’.
Whilst I sincerely appreciate that you are highlighting the selective reporting on the reef that attempts to hide the trouble that it’s in, I can’t help but notice that you failed to mention a whole section of the article on reef safe snorkel habits. Given that the article is paywalled, many of your readers won’t have read the article and can only be aware of it though your story. And I can’t escape the likelihood that you might have been selective too in an article where you are calling out the selectivity of the press.
Very reasonable explanatory comment, but as to the final assertion, as regular visitors to this blog are well aware, chief among the Magpie’s concerns is the poor service and departure from properly balanced journalism in the Townsville Bulletin (and widely in evidence across all News Ltd platforms). And the wilful social damage it is doing in this community, which will increase with recent changes from News HQ.
As to not mentioning your snorkelling etiquette, it was irrelevant to the criticism of the paper, and The Magpie isn’t available to amplify every agenda readers are keen to honk on about.
The story was about the Bulletin, not you.
Hey there Blanche, are you the previous commenter from Maggie Is. with another handle? The tone and tenet would suggest yes, but happy to be wrong!
Keep up or keep out Plucker … Blanche D’Anastasi is the JCU marine biology PhD student we discussed in last weekend’s blog regarding Maggie Island corals ‘bouncing back’. Look it up if you’re interested, haven’t got time to do repeats for thems that don’t pay attention.
Ok Pie, only asked if she lived on Maggie! And you wouldn’t know if she was a pseudonym commentator – would you?
The blog clearly quoted that she was a Magnetic Island resident. We repeat, keep up or keep out.
It’s Kellogg’s turn to be flogged now over the name, wait for it………COCO POPS! Pluck me, this is absolute nonsense!!
Not The ‘Pie’s area of expertise or even a food choice, but aren’t the Coco Pops figures monkeys.
And now the bleeding left want to change the name of states, specifically Victoria and Queensland!
Yes Pie. So monkeys (cartoon faves of kids worldwide) are ‘off limits’???
So can we expect the current Monkey Collective to raise the matter in Question Time.
Speaking of monkeys, Leak Jr has done a brilliant Hear/See/Speak no evil cartoon in The Oz this morning. Monkey bodies with Albo, Short’un and Comrade Dan’s faces.
Wait until they find out that reservists call ourselves Chocos.
I also see that some Aboriginal activists want the state of Victoria to change name because of the colonialist connotations. I would suggest if this is the case, they also stop speaking English, which is the language of the colonialists, and return to using one of the native dialects.
Of which there were around 370 to choose from.
Quite enjoying the irony that the seemingly go to food of the majority of Indigenous people I see around the place carries the prominent image of a Southern American gentleman whose title comes from his days commanding an all-white militia in a “slave state”.
Fried chicken obviously outweighs racism.
One of the most well-known facts about Colonel Sanders is that the title was purely honorary, so this is a pretty impressive display of historical ignorance in the service of making an irrelevant observation.
Thank you for correcting a commenter’s oversight, which clearly takes the looting and burning of KFC outlets off the table, which you otherwise would have condoned.
That’s some good history. I always thought it was Kernel Sanders, named after a corn kernel.
Weak, ‘pie.
Have I expressed approval of looting and burning anywhere?
Steve, thank goodness you are here to keep us all honest and woke. Yes, mistake on my part and I’m not sure where I got the original information/impression.
Keep up the good work – your superiors will be please with you.
More activity regarding airports; apparently QAL and Townsville airport are panicking under the current financial losses they are incurring. Mr Gill has been stressing and even shaking. The General Manager of Cairns and Mackay Airports, an odd sheila with no actual ability was punted last Monday. Kate did the walk of shame with head bowed while escorted off the premises. Included in recent axings are Hobart airport CEO, Launceston Airport Managing Director, many managers from Brisbane airport and so the list goes on. The reason I point to these facts is because Nanna Anna, Scotty from Marketing and Mayor Mullet want us to believe that the borders are open for business in Queensland and planes and airports are kicking things into top gear! I call bullshit. The slow slide to the bottom hasn’t yet stopped.
And The ‘Pie calls bullshit on your over-egged description of a manager being escorted off the premises … that would only happen if there was criminal activity or she refused to agree to resign. QAL are big enough gouging bastards to be condemned in the public eye without making up things they can easily disprove and weaken other arguments.
However, if you are correct, happy to withdraw and publish your proof.
And can’t agree with your overall summation: because of the vital and indispensable role airports play in modern life, QAL have plenty in the ammo box to not just survive but to thrive … including the Northern Infrastructure Fund’s …what was it, $40million for the barely needed Townsville upgrade.
You didn’t read the post correctly Pie.
The ‘Kate’ mentioned worked for NQA (Cairns/Mackay Airports) not QAL. And she was walked off the premises as eyewitnessed by around 15 staff. Her role was made redundant and they had been angling to get rid of her for a long time. Separately, Gill from Townsville airport (QAL)has been shitting himself and parent airline at the Gold Coast is also bleeding heavily.
Been awhile since the Pie worked for a Corporation me thinks. When you get made redundant, even if you have not been sacked for doing anything illegal they walk you out of the building. It’s a fucked process but that is the way they do it.
I got a redundancy (different company) and they tried to ‘escort’ me out as well. I told them that’s not how I’m leaving and if they didn’t let me leave on my own terms I would increase my payout with a workplace bullying and harassment claim. They flew me to Head Office and and gave me a proper send off with a staff lunch.
After all that, you ate food they gave you!?!
Well, like they say, there an upside to everything. Here’s one courtesy the current placard wavers.
This unfunny tiny talented mugger is a sort male version of Wendy harmer or Judith Lucy; he would give both a run for their money in the tedium stakes.
All the a-holes that want to erase history and attack the names of products that feed us can go and get………knotted!
Cancel Culture is a cancer that must be called out. Barack Obama has already done that, although not in connection with the current vogue du jour.
I’ve been a bit quiet lately because I hit my finger with a hammer and my nail has gone a really dark greyish colour. I’m off to make a tea without milk, the Tea formally known as ‘black tea’.
Hey Crap, the Pie is the only one ‘permitted’ to crack funnies on here; lucky he put it up, this time………
What? Sorry, was that funny?
Crapper, only 9 to go ! Let us know how it goes !
Once again, Nanna Anna knows best, by allowing only 2000 people into a stadium, rather than the one quarter capacity that the Feds have said is allowable.
What’s the betting that all the corporate box holders get first dibs on tickets.
And thosed that were blackmailed into pledging this years membership fees.
Am I allowed to use the term ‘blackmail’ Steve?
No Bin, no more blackmail, only emotionally coerced, I believe !
sponsors, politicians, and other grafters are more likely to be among the chosen few rather than those of us who have actually paid for season tickets for years.
As they should.
Why should they not?
The latest victim of the uprising against class distinction is the call to remove the Cecil Rhodes statue from one of Oxford Universities colleges. Perhaps these world movements will next target the elites and billionaires and ‘liquidate their assets’ and share them amongst the 99% who are sick of bending over and taking it? Let’s hope so. Has the uprising begun? Tick tock. Townsville next? You never know…
Sounds great !!
We should turn everything into matchsticks and start again because people who need / receiving psychiatric help think its a good idea.
Danke Herr White Head, how are things in the 18th century? ee by gum there’s trouble at ‘mill. Luddites amalgamate
I understand a chap named Pol Pot tried a similar thing in the 1970s. Didn’t turn out so well.
Next will be To Kill a Mockingbird, I mean it’s got that word in it, nigger – oh the irony
Interesting times at the Cowboys.
In deciding who gets the 2000 tickets to the next home game they have to consider:
Major sponsors like Toyota and (expletive) Adani
Corporate box holders
Players families and friends
Season ticket holders who have “pledged their investment”, aka refund for games not played, to the club
Season ticket holders who want the unused part of their “investment” refunded
Fans who can’t afford a season ticket
If you’re in one of the last two categories, good luck!
Magpie have you heard anything about Department of Public Housing buying 82 to 88 Ross River Rd late last year with existing multi unit DA in place. Is the back up for the Youth Foyer or another low cost housing commission development. Nice location across from school.
I’m told that records indicate the RRRd site was purchased August last year for almost $1.1M by Qld Gov Public Housing. Might not have passed the pub test and copped local objections. Advertised for sale February 2020 for $2M.
Hi Magpie
I got a letter from the TVille City Council saying that they have taken a review of units rated as a owner occupied dwelling, it said the review found that i was maybe not living at that property anymore and then I could have my rates put to a investment unit ( dearer rates).
I rang the girl at council and said to her that i have been living in my owner occupied unit for 7 yrs and have not moved, so how did they do a review of my unit and make a decision without talking to me, when I questioned her i gave her the owner number they quoted and said check this number what do you have and she said oh yes its in your name and when I asked her if she wanted my rates and power bill to clarify my ownership of unit she backed down and apologised and said
the people who done the review have got a lot of these wrong and I don’t have to get a JP signed letter sent back to them to prove that I’m living in unit.
What a disgrace that they are putting people through to try and get more rates by saying they have done a review, our council have no idea at what they are doing, if I didn’t question them i most probably would be paying more rates next time, and how manyhave they conned.
They couldn’t contact you cause’ you’re a ghost !
Strand Ghost, I got the same letter and I’ve been the sole occupant of my unit for over 8 years from new.
I can’t imagine what data they used to do this check, all of my letters come to that address.
I had two thoughts, cheap money grab for council, and probably they targeted unit owners as there is a generally higher proportion of investors/rentals.
I’ve since returned my Statutory Declaration, but I certainly wasn’t impressed by the tone of the letter either.
Wonder how much they spent on the review, because you can bet it was some external consultant who did it.
Could either of you supply a copy of the letter for the blog, suitably redacted if you wish to keep your details and name anonymous. This in the vein of Robodebt writ small. Send to email hidden; JavaScript is required
Here are the words, ‘Pie
“Townsville City Council offers the Differential General Rate Category 1 (Owner Occupied) to property owners who occupy their property as their principal place of residence.
Council has recently undertaken a review of properties rated as Owner Occupier and have identified that the above property may no longer be your principal place of residence.
Please complete and return the attached Statutory Declaration on or before the 30 June 2020 stating whether the property remains your principal place of residence so that council records can be updated.
Alternatively, this property will revert to Differential General Rate 2 (Non-owner Occupied) effective 01 July 2020.
If you have any questions etc. etc,”
I too have done and submitted the Stat Dec., as I suspect have most who got the letter. I suspect Scientician’s thoughts are spot on. Cheers.
Thanks, Russel, our own little version of Robodebt, here in lil ol’ Townsville. Makes us feel all warm and grown-up, don it?
If they think it’s not your principle place of residence, why did they write to you at the address you apparently no longer live? Seems like an act of bureaucratic stupidity.
TCC should be asked on what basis they believe it is no longer your principle residence and why are they reversing the onus of proof, just like robodebt, which was declared unlawful.
The ‘Pie agrees but would suggest you’re over-thinking it a bit .. the TCC and the mayor -since apparently nothing happens against her whim – should simply be asked who is responsible for this very obvious fuck-up. And where’s the bloody Bulletin, still under the doona, as they always have been when it comes to Walker Street?
Anywhere else, this would be a major story.
It appears that the cat is out of the bag. Australia is under cyber attack.
I’m thinking that there might be a couple of cyber agents on this site.
“Dave of Kelso”, “Mike Douglas”, “I’ll be plucked”, and “Cantankerous but happy” are obvious candidates based on their persistent commentary.
We need to be very afraid
Sorry, Secure Unit, even as a joke, that doesn’t make sense. Want to share a bit further (if you must)?
Here’s where he’s from
https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/19/technology/chinas-army-is-seen-as-tied-to-hacking-against-us.html
You forgot me/us, Unit!
Bottom line up front, there is no doubt that the BLM has a noble motivation.
That said, I am irritated by the current attempts to re-write and deny history by a radical few.
I shake my head at the moves to remove statues and the defacing of memorials.
How long will it be before the Church is the target of their wrath? Surely those white missionaries who brainwashed the poor black people in so many countries were on the wrong side of history. Will every statue of Jesus get the same treatment as that of Churchill?
I hope that cooler heads can prevail and the militant element that always infest just causes can be bought around to a more peaceful method of protest.
You might like to consider this piece in Crikey today – just copy and paste into your browser:
Why, in God’s name, is the Catholic Church getting JobKeeper?
Was there meant to be a link in there?
So that Cardinal Pell can eat, ECQ!
Poor old Priests, Cardinals and hierarchy feeling the pinch. They survive on a meagre salary but it’s all that cash that drops into the collection box that really pays the way! It’s a bit lean at the moment. Maybe the church can draw on it’s almost $3 trillion in global assets to pay their salaries?
Agree Just; history should not and cannot ever be erased – it happened, we acknowledge it, learn from it, express our frustration with it, but NEVER try and erase it!
“Education is not indoctrination. Our history is not a blank page on which we can write our own version of what it should have been according to our contemporary views and prejudice.”
Lord Patten on the attempts by left extremists to remove Cecil Rhodes statue at Oxford University.
CN, Your comments were eloquently immortalised over 500 years ago by Omar Khayyam in his epic poem the Rubaiyat.
“The moving hand writes,
And having writ,, moves on,
Neither your piety nor thy wit,
Can hasten its return.
Nor your tear erase a single word of it”
Before we start our daily grind through the grim news of the day and the callous criminal behaviour of the world around us, here’s a little uplift, a massive vote for the enduring survival qualities of humanity against our own dark days of Mordor.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/19/malala-yousafzai-joy-and-gratitude-graduating-from-oxford-degree
The ‘Pie was genuinely moved by this story, as he well remembers his impotent rage when the Malala Yousafzai was shot in the head by a Neanderthal Taliban gunman in 2014.
Her crime: wanting education for girls and young women. Is she a future leader of Pakistan?
Thank you, Pie. A very inspiring young lady.
I too wish her well, but would not wish upon her leadership of Pakistan, which is one of the many places that are dangerous for women and girls. The last female Pakistani PM was assassinated by two 15 year olds.
Malala has already amply and courageously demonstrated that she will not be cowed by danger.
Let’s hope so Pie, Pakistan has produced some wonderful strong women over the years, as opposed to that useless Imran Khan, who has turned out to be nothing but a spineless failure, no real surprise I guess.
Seems to be a political speciality on the sub continent. Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmar, became and remains the instrument of mass murder of the Rohingya muslim minority and creating one of the greatest refugee. crisis’s in the world. It was deliberate act of genocide and dispossession which further devalued the standing of the Nobel Peace Prize she had been awarded.
Thank you Pie. Appreciate!
At this time low level helicopter operations along Ross River nth and south of about Ponti Road.
You been sun baking in the nude again?
I have become a tourist attraction and a boost to the Townsville economy.
Every little bit helps.
Emphasis on “little”